Reaction Mechanism
by Daedreamer
Summary: When college student Rin needs a recommendation letter from her professor, the renowned Dr. Sesshoumaru, she ends up landing herself more than just a letter! Don't own Inuyasha are any affiliated characters.
1. A Study in Chocolate and White

Reaction Mechanism

Yep. Me again, with a brand new one-shot before any new updates for my stories. I know, I have no dedication. But, it's Valentine's Day so I figured I just had to write SOMETHING! Enjoy!

Rin was absurdly nervous. Her face felt hot. Her hands were sweaty.

"I can't do this!" She inwardly screamed.

It was mid-February, which meant it was time for her to ask for recommendation letters for summer internships. For some reason or other, she'd always been embarrassed and shy when it came to asking for recommendations, even though she was sure the professors would agree. But this time in particular, she was more nervous than usual. Well, it was to be expected. This particular professor was very accomplished, very strict, and…very sexy! Rin didn't need to feel her face to know that it had heated up some more at that last thought.

"You're in my cell biology lecture right? Can I help you with anything?" A smooth baritone asked from behind Rin.

Recognizing the voice as belonging to the afore mentioned accomplished, strict, and very sexy professor, Rin jumped, carefully filled out papers scattering all over the hallway.

"Er..Yes! Um…I mean no!" Rin fumbled, clumsily grasping at the paperwork on the floor. There was no way she could ask him now, with that klutz attack!

There! That was the last piece of that thrice-be-damned recommendation form! If she could just grab it, she could just high-tail it out of there and forget the incident had ever happened! Hopefully, he'd forget too if she sat in the very back of the lecture hall for a few classes.

Her small hands reached for the innocent form, her slender fingers extending as long as they could. That was when a much larger and much more masculine hand cruelly plucked the form away.

"Oh, a recommendation form? Best not to crumble these like you have the other two over there—don't think the selection committee would be too happy with that," the professor commented as he quickly scanned the sheet.

"Ah crap!" was all Rin could think.

"That class is rather large so I'm afraid I don't know you that well," he began, "so how about you print those two other forms out and come back? We'll have a chat and see what I can do."

Rin could hardly believe her luck. He didn't out-right reject her! Gr…why did that come out sounding like a love confession?

Rin quickly bobbed her head up and down before heading towards the elevators again.

"The closest public computer lab is in Mudd on the second floor, you don't need to go all the way over to Lerner," he helped, seeing that Rin was heading in the wrong direction.

All Rin could do was whisper a thank you before scampering towards the elevators, and fervently hope that some god out there was helping her so that an elevator would open before she did something else embarrassing.

It was only after Rin had finished refilling the new forms that she realized she probably dropped more than papers when she bumped into the professor earlier. Even though she wasn't in Japan, Rin still clung to the tradition of giving home-made chocolate on February 14. The night before, she had stayed up late to finish making chocolates for her friends. She had given them all away except for one—and now, that one was missing. Oh well, she'd just have to look for it when she got back to that hallway then.

It wasn't there.

"You seem to like standing in this hallway," the professor observed, amusedly, "Are you looking for something?"

"No…well…yeah. How did you guess?"

He stared pointedly at her, his captivating dark amber eyes roaming over Rin's small but rather curvaceous form.

That was when Rin realized exactly what position she was in: in her hasty search for the stray chocolate, she hadn't realized that she had gotten on her hands and knees while trying to see under the heating unit. That, and as she was positioned right now, her rounded bottom was pointing up towards the professor's rather entertained face.

"Pro…Professor Tsukiaoi!" She gasped, "I'm sorry!"

The professor chuckled lightly before pointing to an office across the hall. "We'll talk in my office."

Rin obediently followed the lab-coat clad genius. She'd never been in his office before. It was spacious and had windows overlooking the library. On the walls were mounted various certificates and honorary degrees as well as several large science posters. She was instantly reminded of exactly whose office she was standing in. He wasn't just a good-looking pretty boy. Professor Sesshoumaru Tsukiaoi was renowned pioneer in cellular disease and gene therapy. At the age of twenty seven, he had earned a tenure at the university and was practically guaranteed for a Nobel Prize in a few years. In addition to that, he looked absolutely scrumptious!

Being a loyal reader of Harlequin romances, Rin had always wondered if there really existed men who could turn heads as they walked down a street and make a girl's heart pound with a smoldering gaze. First day of class had solved that question. Professor Sesshoumaru, with his long silky platinum hair, long and lean body, and handsomely chiseled face, was the answer to many a college girl's dreams. The fact that he had an IQ over 200 didn't hurt either.

He gestured to a comfy looking leather chair as he walked behind his desk, reading through Rin's transcript and resume as he went.

Gathering up her courage, Rin squeaked out, "Professor, have you, by chance, seen a package wrapped in pink paper with sakura blossoms printed on it?"

He didn't seem to hear her as he hummed softly while continuing to read.

Rin decided against asking again—this whole situation was just too embarrassing.

"So you're grades aren't bad and you've taken quite a few courses in the biology area," he said, "but, no lab experience—and, premed, yes?"

Rin nodded, nerves setting in as he read out the last two points.

"Hm…since the course doesn't have any large exams or papers due until midterm week, there really isn't much I can write about."

Rin felt her heart drop to her stomach. So, he was going to turn her down.

"How about this…"

"Professor, I really need the letter by mid-March! I can't wait until midterms are over!" Rin exclaimed nervously.

One silvery, refined eyebrow rose in amusement. "Quick to assume, aren't you? I was thinking that my lab is one person short for this semester. If you have time, you can drop in a few hours a week and then I can write the letter for you after knowing you better."

Rin's jaws dropped. To say the least, she was surprised. It was a well-known fact that his lab was hard to get into—experience from his lab would pretty much ensure an interview with any science grad school in the country!

Numbly, Rin nodded her consent.

He flashed her a small grin with, dare she think it, a glint of pleased victory in his dark amber eyes. "Excellent! There might just be some hope for you yet!"

"Hope?"

He flashed another small grin, "It's an inside joke for science professors—means converting a premed to research. Anyways, I have a project on the molecular mechanism behind regulation factors mediating the nascence of tumor cells and ways gene therapy can be used to treat cancer…"

It didn't take long for the two to settle into a steady schedule. Sesshoumaru, as the professor had insisted Rin call him, was a talented instructor in lab techniques and Rin was sharp enough to learn quickly. The only obstacle that stood in her way was her daydreaming—it was very very difficult for her to focus on work when the great incubus himself was standing beside her. And, to her utter dismay, the distraction he, probably unknowingly, posed increased as she spent more time with him. It seemed that the more she understood the man, the more she admired and was attracted to him. But on his part, Sesshoumaru showed no interest in her outside the purely professional. Rin wondered if he could tell how she felt.

It was a day before mid-March when Rin and Sesshoumaru's steady pace of training and bench work was interrupted. Perhaps, it started out with Rin dropping off a report in Sesshoumaru's office when he was out for a meeting. There, resting innocently on his book shelf, between a New England Biolabs catalogue and a monstrous tomb entitled Techniques in Molecular Biology, was a small square of pink wrapping paper overlayed with sakura blossom figures. It was most definitely from the wayward Valentine's Day chocolate!

The second surprise occurred a few hours later in the day, after Sesshoumaru had just returned from his meeting and before Rin could broach the subject of the chocolate wrapper. He handed her a single white envelope.

"It's a copy of the recommendation letter I sent out today. You don't need to come here anymore if you're busy with other stuff. I realize that the semester's picking up."

So this was it. It seemed that her dream had finally come to an end. And that was just a polite way of saying he didn't want her in the lab anymore.

Despite this, the moment she was sure Sesshoumaru had left the room, Rin couldn't help her own curiosity and tore open the envelope. The letter wasn't overflowing with rhetorical praise. It was more of a critical evaluation of Rin's work and personality, but she was pleased. It was a strong letter. It was good to know that he had appreciated her while she was here…Rin carefully tucked the letter back into the envelope. That was when she realized that in her haste to read the letter, she had completely overlooked two other sheets of paper in the envelope. One, she read with increasing delight, was a completed invitation to join the summer research program run by the university, with Sesshoumaru's signature on it to ensure he would mentor her if she accepted. The other, was a small white card with the simple words "Happy White Day" written on it in Sesshoumaru's flowing script.

Hope. Yes. There was hope for Rin yet.


	2. Demon of All Hallow's Eve

Hey guys, I know that I originally said Reaction Mechanism would be a one-shot, but I decided to add another chapter, as a sort of sequel, to it. There may be more in the series to come as a tribute to my favorite couple on some special holidays, but no promises there!

Enjoy and Happy Halloween everyone!

* * *

Rin's nose wrinkled in disgust as she washed the centrifuge tubes. Honestly! Just because she was the only undergraduate in Dr. Sesshoumaru Tsukiaoi's lab didn't mean that the damn lab manager had to leave all the used labware washing to her! Another waft of the oh-so-delightful scent of dead bacteria found its way to Rin's sensitive nose.

"Having fun?" A rich baritone teased from behind her.

"Professor!" Rin gasped, surprised by how close the voice had originated. She was almost afraid to turn around, for fear that she'd collide into the handsome scientist.

The silver-haired genius chuckled at her surprise before taking a step back.

"I'm not too fond of the smell of that stuff either," he confided.

"Well it's a good thing that Jaken doesn't bully you into cleaning up after his mess then, isn't it?" Rin retorted as she finally turned around to face the tall man.

Sesshoumaru was as dangerously handsome as ever today, with his sleek, toned frame leaning casually against the lab bench, and his long silvery hair pulled back into a low ponytail.

Rin had thought that after working in his lab for the last eight months she'd be able to calm down around him, but that hadn't happened. If anything, her condition had taken a turn for the worse. After all, back in February when she first asked him for that fateful recommendation letter, she only suffered from a mild case of increased heart rate and blushing when interacting with her professor. Now, she swore she was at risk for cardiac arrhythmia. All the symptoms were there: palpitations, light-headedness, and abnormal heart rate.

He was just a pretty face lecturing on and on about the importance of adhesion in cell growth in February. Now, he was a living, breathing person deeply imprinted in Rin's psyche. She knew that he pinched the bridge of his nose with his tapered and dexterous fingers when he was contemplating a problem, and that his left foot tapped the ground slightly when he was happy. She knew that when his foot stopped tapping, it was a sign to back away, slowly.

"Jaken may be many things, but he's not mentally impaired," Sesshoumaru laughed, successfully breaking Rin about of her musings.

"You mean, yet," she added, while hanging up the last Beckman tube to dry.

"He's still your supervisor, you know."

"Right," Rin sighed. Sesshoumaru had been so busy lately with his deluge of collaborations and grants that he was rarely in the lab. In fact, he'd assigned the lab manager Jaken to supervise Rin throughout the summer while he was travelling the world attending conferences.

"But still, it's Halloween tomorrow and I'm stuck here scraping glassware that contained who-knows-what when everyone else is busy fixing their costumes!"

A silver eyebrow rose slightly. Rin wanted to take her words back at once. She really was thankful that she'd landed a position in Sesshoumaru's lab and she hadn't meant to sound so whiny.

"Well, by all means, don't let me keep you," he murmured softly before stepping into his office.

"I…didn't mean it like that," Rin whispered, as she picked up her belongings.

She sighed, kicking a few dried yellow leaves around as she trudged her way back to the dorms. Sesshoumaru was Adonis in human form and he possessed a sharp intellect as well as fluid grace. She couldn't have dreamed of a better man. Yet, he was so hard to understand. One moment, he would be teasing her with his sensuous lips corked into a roguish grin. The next, he'd be silent and brooding.

Absentmindedly entering her suite, Rin was greeted with the sight of two half-naked girls clad in mismatched clothing.

"Oh Rin! You're back!" Kagome exclaimed happily. "You gotta help me out! Tell Sango that her ninja costume is way too slutty! I mean, look at that thing! It may as well be black paint on her! Every shape is showing!"

"For the last time, it's an exterminator suit, not a ninja costume!" the other girl protested.

"I'll be up in my room," Rin responded, grinning at her friends' argument.

As soon as Rin entered her room, she ran over to the closet. Inside hung a vintage white dress. The lace looked aged, but it only added to the mystique of the dress. It was a Victorian style wedding dress made of the finest silk money could buy. Rin had never thought in a thousand years that she'd be able to afford something like this! However, she'd just been wondering around Soho the weekend before and the antique shop owner had sold the dress to Rin at a huge discount since the shop was closing down. Now, it was going to be Rin's Halloween costume.

Being a nerd and naturally introverted, Rin had never gone to a college party before. Her idea of a party was her birthday party a few years ago when she'd gone to Pizza Hut with her friends after playing Mini Golf. However, Kagome and Sango had persuaded Rin to join them for the Phi Pheta Gamma fraternity party held tomorrow night. Hence, the costumes the two were debating about downstairs.

****************************

It wasn't until noon the next day that Rin decided to brave the lab again. It was Saturday so all she needed to do was change media on the cells she treated yesterday. She was half hoping that she wouldn't run into Sesshoumaru. Usually, she jumped at the chance to see him but she was so excited for the party tonight that she knew it would show on her face and he'd pick up on it.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side. After finishing her procedure, Rin was just about to lock the lab down when she saw Sesshoumaru walking down the hall with a cup of coffee in his hand. Expresso, no sugar or cream, without a doubt. If it were any other day, she'd be swooning at the fact that serious, proud Dr. Sesshoumaru needed coffee on a Saturday morning--cough—noon but today…

Rin automatically ducked behind a lab cart.

She heard Sesshoumaru's light footsteps walk right up to the cart she was hiding behind.

"What are you doing?"

If the earth could open up and consume her, Rin would readily jump into its gaping mouth at this point. However, the earth stayed quite still.

"Ah…"

He just shook his silver head in wonder.

"If this is about yesterday, I may be becoming too demanding," he admitted, while extending a slender hand to help Rin up from her kneeling position.

Rin blushed a beet red while nodding. This was as close to an apology as she was going to get. Though, Sesshoumaru's reputation for being a task-master was well known in the academic field.

"No! I shouldn't have complained when I was the one who wanted to work here!"

The skin around his gold eyes lost some of its tightness.

"Then let's move on, shall we?"

Rin nodded.

"How are your cells doing today?"

"Still alive," she answered, happily jumping into a description of her observations.

He listened attentively, sipping his coffee periodically. Even he could tell that Rin was more excited than usual. Sure, she was interested in her project, but it was quite obvious that it was Halloween that she was anticipating.

Out of politeness, he asked at the end of her long description, "So what are going to be tonight?"

Rin grinned at the mere thought of her costume. "Oh! A demon bride!"

The ever-composed, statuesque, poised, beautiful prodigy—he choked. He coughed. Coffee spewed out.

As it turned out, Rin soon found that her earlier assumption was incorrect. Sesshoumaru drank his coffee with cream. A lot of cream.

"You're being what?"

Rin just pointedly tabbed at her blouse where the coffee had hit, trying hard to reign in her laughter.

She would've never guessed the unflappable Sesshoumaru could be so surprised! And he like cream! If the man weren't standing in front of her right then, Rin would have burst out in laughter. As it was, her shoulders were shaking from the effort.

"A demon bride," Rin managed to wheeze out between giggles.

"Why?"

"Well, I just found the most beautiful dress, but it looked so haunting with it's Victorian style and aged lace that I decided being a regular bride just wasn't going to work. So, the story is that I'm the girl a demon carried off to the underworld and am trapped in time with him!" Rin finished with a flourish. She hadn't confided the back-story to even Kagome or Sango yet. Truth be told, Rin had always thought herself a little strange. While other little girls were fantasizing out prince charming on his white horse or a noble knight in shining armor, Rin had always dreamed of an ethereal demon sweeping her away from the human land and whisking her off to his dark castle.

That's when Rin remembered where she was. Dark castle indeed. She was at the lab, standing in front of her one and only crush, confiding her fantasy to him. Forget the hole swallowing her up, Rin just wanted to crawl into a dark little corner and die!

Sesshoumaru was looking at her with a funny expression too.

"Er…kinda like Hades and Persephone?" She added meekly.

He just continued to look at her with that unfathomable expression.

"Right. I have to get going now! Bye!"

It wasn't until she ran back to her room that Rin vaguely recalled how quickly Sesshoumaru's left foot was thumping at her statement.

*****************************

The party was…not as classy as Rin wouldn't liked. Well, what did she expect? Haphazardly brushing her inky smooth locks off her face, Rin scanned the area. All around were couples gyrating against each other. Kagome and Sango were nowhere to be seen. One frat boy was stumbling towards Rin with a red drink in hand. She hastily stepped out of his way. That red stuff could have seriously done damage to her dress! Personally, Rin wanted to leave about an hour ago but she kept hoping it would get better. No…it had just gotten more obscene as time went by.

Well, that, and dreadfully more depressing. Guys just didn't come up to her. What with her shy personality and conservative clothing, she didn't blame them. Not when there were nurses with tight scrubs, policewomen in fish-net stockings, and leather-sporting cat-girls in abundance.

"Hey, want to have a drink with me?" A surprisingly sober boy invited while plopping himself down beside her. He was dressed as a vampire. Rather cute, but a bit too tan to be realistic. Oh well, at least he put the effort in—most guys were either pimps or drag queens today.

A bit wary, but seeing in no harm, Rin replied, "What do you have?"

He laughed. "Bloody Mary! What else for a vamp such as myself?"

"Alright," Rin agreed, reaching for a sip.

"Careful, my bride," a smooth voice purred dangerously close to Rin's ear. Surprised, Rin tried to turn around.

"Ah ah ah…" the voice teased, "that's cheating."

"Hey, get your own girl!" vamp boy complained to whoever was behind her.

"I wouldn't talk if I were you," Rin could almost imagine the eyes associated with that voice narrowing into slits.

Panic rose in vamp boy's eyes as he stumbled to his feet and fled.

It didn't take much to figure out that the drink had been duped.

"Thank…" Rin started. She couldn't finish though, as she felt herself being dragged into a shadowed corner. Wait…were those claws she felt lightly scraping against forearm?

The next thing Rin knew, she was pulled up against a solid, warm chest covered in the softest silk her cheeks had ever felt. The clawed fingers traced her face delicately, almost as if afraid she would crumble.

"Wait…who?"

She hadn't seen anyone dressed in material this fine all night. He was tall, since her face only reached his chest. Obviously, he was very fit, if the toned texture of his chest was anything to go by. That voice, it sounded so familiar, yet so very…nostalgic.

"Shh…" He breathed in her scent, "Think of this place as the underworld, and this moment—eternity."

Rin could feel his muscles shift underneath his thin silk costume. His head had dipped down. She felt a slight pressure on her ears—teeth? No. Fangs. Before she knew it, her lips were met with their soft, hot counterparts.

Then, the song switched and with it, the lighting. Rin eagerly snapped her eyes open to see the man. But there was nothing in front of her. It may as well have been a dream if it weren't for the taste of coffee and rich cream on her lips.

"My demon," Rin whispered, dazed, as she fervently scanned the area for any sign of her anonymous man.

Nothing. Yet, she had almost expected that. Her demon was swift and agile, he blended in with the shadows and could not be found when he didn't want to be.

*****************************

"Professor," Rin began.

"Hmm?" Sesshoumaru acknowledged, his eyes not straying from the manuscript he was readying for submission.

"Were you at a party on Saturday night?"

No reply. That signal transduction pathway must've been much more interesting than it seemed.

Molten gold eyes turned to her, as if piercing into her soul.

Rin flushed to the tips of her hair. There was no way she could ask him, HIM!, if he had been at a frat party on Halloween, playing demon to her bride!

"Forget I said anything!" Rin yelped, scampering away towards to her awaiting cell plates.

In the background, the happy tapping of feet, as if the thumping of a wagging tail, continued long into the days to come.

* * *

Well, that's the Halloween special! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Memoirs of a Thanksgiving in Vertigo

Sorry for the late Thanksgiving chapter! Hopefully, you'll find it a bit longer than the others though!

Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 3

The edges were golden and solid, the top perfectly smooth. Rin grinned in triumph as she stuck the spatula underneath and flipped the crepe onto the other side. Deftly placing her cubed bananas and strawberries onto the nutella covered surface of the crepe, Rin rolled the thin crepe up. Then, she topped the crepe with an overzealous amount of whipped cream. Breakfast…was served!

The noon sun shone brightly through Rin's suite windows despite the cool weather outside. It was Thanksgiving break at school, but Rin had opted to stay on campus since her family lived too far away to commute back and forth in the four days off. However, that didn't mean she wasn't going to enjoy herself! In the background, Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" was playing. She grinned as she hummed along with the aria, closing her eyes to relish the rich tenor.

"All'alba vincerò! Vincerò, vincerò!" The famous aria ended in triumph.

Rin's eyes flew open. That last line…was _not_ Pavarotti! It wasn't even a tenor!

She whirled around to face the entrance of her suite only to see her esteemed, and very sexy, professor leaning casually against the kitchen island, his pale gold eyes twinkling in amusement. His casual yet majestic bearing transforming the plain university suite island into a marble masterpiece.

"Professor!" She gasped. "You sing?" Then, it kicked in, "What…what are you doing here?"

The man in question laughed slightly as he shamelessly extended one toned arm over Rin's carefully rolled crepes and snatching one away. Dipping one slender finger into the cream, he slowly lowered his head and licked at the cream-covered finger. Nibbling slightly at the cream while licking in a circular motion, the silver-haired man suddenly enclosed his sensuous mouth over the digit and sucked on the cream. All the while, his eyes were trained on Rin.

Rin blushed to the roots of her hair. How could he do that?! That…that ought to be illegalized! His mouth…WAS NOT allowed to do that!

Seeing Rin's flustered expression, Sesshoumaru chuckled mercilessly before biting into the crepe. Mmmm…

Rin was certain something in her was going to burst. He WAS NOT allowed to make sounds like that!

"Er…What are you doing here?"

"Eager to get rid of me?" He raised one finely arched silver eyebrow, while helping himself to another crepe.

"Nn…No!" She stammered. Then, regaining her footing, "Look. It's Thanksgiving morning! Shouldn't you be home or something?"

"Home? That's not exactly something I'm thankful for."

Okay, so her devilishly handsome mentor had family issues. Why, oh why, did she end up picking all the bad topics?

"Still," she tried again, "why are you in my suite on Thanksgiving morning, when the entire university is off work for the rest of the week?"

"Ah," he replied, repeating the illicit act of licking at his long, slender, nutella and cream covered digits rather lasciviously. As if knowing what Rin was thinking, the man sent a wink her way before continuing, "I finished the manuscript yesterday night after you left. Thought you should have a look before I submit it—you are listed as an author after all."

All thoughts of sexy Sesshoumaru standing in the kitchen licking at sticky goodness flew out of Rin's head. This was her very first science journal publication! Rin practically bounded up to the tall man, trying in vain to paw her way to the tan envelope sticking out of Sesshoumaru's briefcase.

"Not so fast, hime!"

However, Rin either didn't hear him or just didn't decide to obey. She rather viciously tore open the envelope and greedily scanned the paper inside. Only to find it—empty.

She turned her large hazel eyes at him.

"It's Thanksgiving. You really shouldn't work on Thanksgiving," he explained.

She glared.

"Look, I know you're from Canada, so Thanksgiving was a month ago for you. But still, I know you didn't go home then because you had classes. Just relax and enjoy for a day, alright?"

"Then what's the point of bringing it here if you're not going to let me see it?" She huffed.

"Free breakfast, what else?"

Rin looked down at her previously stacked dish of crepes. There was only one left. The smallest one.

"Hey!"

"They were tasty," he shrugged in an unbelievably elegant manner, "You'll make a good ma..wife one day!"

All indignation left Rin as a flurry of hot embarrassment invaded her. Here was the handsome, sexy man Rin was undeniably dreaming of…okay fine! The man she was fantasizing about every day, pronouncing her to be good wife material!

Sesshoumaru watched in silence at the array of emotions on Rin's face, reminiscence making him both hopeful and forlorn as he gazed onto the shy happiness shining through her rosy visage.

Rin was a surprisingly observant girl despite her occasional, and in the presence of Sesshoumaru—not so occasional, bouts of oblivion. She was sure he had said that in jest, but looking at the man now, it was obvious he was seeing, or perhaps remembering, something or someone whom the previous statement applied to.

Her happy embarrassment subsided. Professor Tsukiaoi was easily one of the most eligible bachelors in the city, if not the country, yet as far as she knew, he had no special other. In fact, she would even say that she herself was the female he spent the most time with! But something must have happened to the gorgeous Adonis before her to make him wear that look of fond but helpless nostalgia on his chiseled features.

She worried for him sometimes. But at this very moment, she felt a foreign emotion in herself. It wasn't so much worry—she'd felt that many times for many people. It wasn't the warm fuzzy feeling that always threatened to bubble up whenever she thought of Sesshoumaru. It was a hot twisting emotion that gnawed at her guts yet made some part of her chest wrench as well.

"You…you know you're responsible for compensating for that, right?" She shifted the topic.

That seemed to snap Sesshoumaru out of his musings.

Teasingly, the silver-haired professor replied, "Ah, but of course. Will you have me cook for you tonight?"

"No!" She exclaimed. "You are not getting anywhere NEAR the fire!"

For all his genius, the great Sesshoumaru Tsukiaoi should never, ever be allowed near stovetops. This was the man, afterall, who, while showing her how to sterilize the bacteria spreader, had burned the metal spreader until it oxidized! That metal was NOT supposed to oxidize! He was…to say the least…a slight pyromaniac in Rin's book.

Sesshoumaru had to grace to adorn his pale, regal cheeks with a slight hint of rosy pink at that comment. He remembered what happened. Rin was dressed in a tight black V-neck sweater that day, with a dangly necklace that stopped just short of her bust line. She had high-heeled leather boots on. Some geeky graduate student in another lab had the gall to come in on the pretense of borrowing lab equipment to gawk. If he had things his way, the metal spreader wouldn't be the only thing unusable by that end of that episode!

"You," Rin laughed, "You should get some wine or something!"

Amusement was written clearly in Sesshmaru's twinkling orbs.

"What?" Rin retaliated, "Look, I'm twenty, which makes me legal in Canada, alright? Not my fault this stupid state has drinking age set at twenty-one! Besides, it's Thanksgiving and we have a journal publication to celebrate!"

"Fine, fine, I'll go get alcohol," he appeased, still amused, "You know, it's not just the alcohol I'm amused about." With that, he threw on his black suede coat and headed towards the door.

"Oh, and by the way," he called as he exited, "you should really make sure that the wind doesn't blow open your suite door again after I leave—I could hear Pavarotti and you singing all the way from the dorm building entrance."

Rin just sputtered in hot red, rushing down the stairs after him.

"What's wrong with a little music? Actually, if I could play an instrument, I'd make you accompany you, maestro!" She defended herself. He HAD sounded good—better than most opera singers, in fact.

His graceful form paused mid-step. "You don't play an instrument?"

"No…why?"

"Always thought you would…Piano or something you know? Giacomo claimed you were the inspiration…"

Rin furrowed her eyebrows. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," he answered a little too quickly. "Right, dinner, I'll bring the wine, you'll play the wife and cook, right?"

"That's a gender stereotype!" She yelled as he disappeared from sight. Of course, that was before she realized how wonderful "you" and "wife" sounded rolling off Sesshoumaru's tongue like that.

It wasn't until a while later, when Rin was mashing the potatoes the dinner, that she realized what he was amused about. She had just invited a full grown man to her suite, which was empty save herself since her suite mates had gone home for the holiday, to have dinner with her—with alcohol. Much worse, was that he was hardly in an appropriate position to agree.

"Oh, but he DID agree, didn't he?" A little voice chortled slyly in Rin's head, "In fact, he even told you to play the WIFE!" All afternoon after that, Rin had a dopy grin on her face that she constantly tried to reign in to no avail.

* * *

Rin surveyed the living room once more. The light were all on, lending the room a warm feel with their varying yellow hues. The heater was set on medium so the suite was just the right temperature for a thin sweater. The table and chairs were set up, as was the fall-themed tablecloth. All that was left was the plates and silverware. Still, she was nervous. As the hours dragged on, the young woman became increasing aware of how inappropriate it was to invite the professor over for dinner—alone!

Add to that the fact that despite being out of her teens, she had never had a boyfriend, Rin could almost feel her heart beating against her rib-cage. Worst of all, she was certain that Sesshoumaru had backed out of his promise. Afterall, it was seven at night now and he still hadn't come back from getting wine.

The oven beeped its completion of the turkey just when Rin heard a knock at the door. Rushing downstairs, she flung open the door in relief at the sight of her golden-eyed obsession.

"What took you so long to get wine?" She complained.

"Gomen," he apologized, holding up two thin bottles of wine for her to inspect.

"Wait," she breathed, "those aren't!"

"Yes they are," he smiled, "ice wine, right from the town your parents live in."

Rin laughed, delighted. It was a little bit of home and she hadn't seen her parents in several months now.

"Am I forgiven?" he breathed.

Rin stilled. His warm breath was shockingly close to the back of her neck as he positioned his large body to shield her from the cold air outside.

"Y..yes!" she stammered, tugging him inside while shutting the door.

Once upstairs in the kitchen, Rin scurried around to set the table, her nerves evident.

"Coming behind you," Sesshoumaru called, as he easily lifted the small turkey out of the oven.

"Ooof!"

"I told you I was behind you," Sesshoumaru sighed as he struggled to balance both the turkey and Rin, who had staggered into him while fluttering around to locate another fork.

"Sorry!" the petite girl squeaked, her lithe form struggling to escape from Sesshoumaru's strong hold.

Said man frowned slightly. He deftly placed the turkey onto the table and spun Rin to face him.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Rin squeaked, "Nothing's wrong!"

"You're a bad liar."

"I…Look, it's just that, you're a professor, I'm a student, you're a…man…, I'm…er…not a man…" she stammered.

"You're a woman," he murmured softly.

"I…Yes," she breathed.

"So?"

"So! So this isn't appropriate!"

"Why?"

"Be…because…" Rin stammered to grasp at an excuse. What WAS so wrong about having the man she was falling in love with—and yes, she was fairly certain she was falling for him, if she hadn't already hit the bottom of that free-fall—over for Thanksgiving dinner? The university didn't even really care about professor and student relationships as long as the professor had no say in any of the student's classes.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No!" Then, picking up on a slight tremble in his usually smooth voice, she looked up, startled.

His features were as sharp as ever, and his pride and confidence firmly in place to any other observer. But something told Rin that the handsome man before her truly feared that she would be afraid of him.

Smiling fondly at him, she raised her small hand to cup his defined cheek in a surprisingly familiar motion. "No," she repeated, "Never. Not of YOU."

Before she could stop herself, Rin pushed her body up and moved her face towards his own. She knew what was going to happen. She felt the trepidation. It was almost like she couldn't control herself. Like her body was moving from memories of doing this many times before. She wanted this!

At the last moment before their lips would meet, Sesshoumaru turned his head. Rin felt herself regain control of her body, her nerves rushing out of her. Her kiss had landed innocently and firmly on his smooth cheek.

"Why?"

"You weren't ready," he answered, straightening himself up.

Disappointed but relieved at the same time, Rin brushed some imaginery lint off her cream sweater-dress. She almost grinned in mischief when she became aware of how intently Sesshoumaru's gold eyes were trailing the path of her hand, down the front of her dress to the matching tights she sported.

"You carving the turkey?" She asked.

"Of course."

* * *

"Cheers!" Rin giggled as she raised her glass to her puckered mouth, emptying the sweet ice wine into her mouth.

Sesshoumaru just sat backed in slightly shocked enjoyment. It took talent to get drunk on a few glasses of ice wine. It really did.

"You tink I'm dr--unk, don't you?" Rin slurred as she stood up and staggered over to where Sesshoumaru was sitting.

"I know you're drunk," Sesshoumaru replied dryly.

"You're smeeeexy, but you're too uptight!" she giggled, finally finding her way to him.

He rose an eyebrow.

She was now trying to sashay onto his lap, with some success, since Sesshoumaru wasn't really resisting.

That was when her long legs got ungracefully tangled up with the tablecloth. Alarmed, Sesshoumaru shot out an arm and pushed himself underneath Rin's entangled body to break her fall.

He instantly regretted it.

Rin's supple young body was now splayed on top of his own toned masculine one. Her slim legs sere comfortably straddling his, and her bosom, surprisingly large for her small size, rested on top of his firm chest.

The girl moaned slightly at the fall, obviously disorientated due to her drunkenness.

"You okay?" He asked in worry.

"Oh," she giggled, "I'M fine, but are YOU?" She winked at him.

Sesshoumaru wrinkled his eyebrows. "Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?"

She licked her full lips, red from the alcohol, in a surprisingly provocative manner for a girl who'd never had a boyfriend. Her moist tongue slowly dragged itself across her soft lips, leaving a wet trail where it touched. Sesshoumaru followed with his eyes hooded, his irises darkening.

"Because, your little…ooo…" she cooed happily, "big friend down here isn't!"

Sesshoumaru inhaled sharply. Her soft little hand was squeezing gently at his shaft. Slowly, she released her grip, only to quickly reapply it. Sesshoumaru could feel himself hardening, standing up proudly at attention. He really hoped Rin was truly drunk!

"Unnn…" he grunted softly. Unable to restrain himself, he raised his hips to meet her hand, groaning when she loosened her grip.

Then, to Sesshoumaru's pleasure, his little vixen righted herself and situated her hips onto his. Painstakingly slowly, she moved her hips in a circular motion, just so that the apex between her legs would rub against his heat. At the hot and wet contact, both of them moaned.

"Rin?" Sesshoumaru gasped out. She wasn't moving anymore. Then, her warm body slumped forward onto him again.

He groaned in frustration. The little tease! He lay there on the wood floor, trying to reign himself in. His member was still pulsing, begging to be rubbed against Rin's heat again.

After a while, when he felt suitably cooled down, Sesshoumaru turned to gaze at Rin's slumbering form nestled comfortably against his muscled physique.

Fondly combing his clawed hands through Rin's dark brown tresses, he breathed in deeply. "The things you do to me, anata."

* * *

If anyone can help, please let me know if the usage of "anata" was correct in the last sentence.

Sorry for the references to music in here. Hopefully, you'll understand why I included them in later updates.


	4. Singing in a One Horse Open Carriage

Hi everyone! Ok, there are absolutely NO excuses for the late update...The New Years one is coming up soon though.

Special thanks for all you how helped with the "anata" question--the explanations were really informative!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Inuyasha. No, not Inuyasha... Sesshoumaru!

Enjoy and Merry Belated Christmas!

* * *

A deep breath. The crisp December air smelled of chocolate, popcorn, and peppermint. The tinkling of bells. The holiday vendors that lined the small outdoor ice rink glittered with warm lights. Sure, it was exam season, but she had decided that she needed a study break. And there wasn't a better for it than Rockefeller Center during the holidays! Besides, what dope in the registrar scheduled the last day of exams to be December 23, anyways? She growled to herself at the thought of a shorter winter break. Then, trying to cheer herself up again, Rin pasted a smile on her cheeks, red from the cold, and willed her leaden legs to push off the sturdy wall of the rink.

That's when she realized a fundamental flaw in her thinking. Having fun didn't entail traveling several dozen city blocks away from your cozy dorms to meet the ice with your face. It wasn't that Rin couldn't feel her center of gravity. She really could. It just wasn't where it was supposed to be. She knew it. She was falling over! Again!

However, that didn't stop Rin from trying to save herself. Desperately, she flailed her arms around and tried to untangle her legs that had miraculously found themselves crossed over eachother.

Unfortunately, she also made many people angry. Seriously, the ice rink was overcrowded. One falling person might start a domino effect. Rin had about one millisecond to flash everyone around her an apologetic smile before feeling herself falling down, down, and…stop?

She felt a fluffy muffler against her cheek. She smelled a soft, and probably very expensive, leather jacket behind her. It seemed to be covering a very toned and sculpted body by the firm planes she had the pleasure of leaning against. She knew the strong and lean arms that encircled her small form all too well. She whirled her head around.

"Careful," an very familiar, amused voice whispered into her ear.

She flushed red at the closeness of his warm breath against her cold, but rapidly warming cheek.

"Professor!" she gasped.

"You should know to call me Sesshoumaru in public," he frowned at her, his molten gold eyes gently admonishing. Despite this, he was grinning smugly at her like a chesire cat with cream.

Obviously, he must of found her floundering extremely entertaining. She huffed. "Kill pill?"

"Hello to you too," he answered dryly. Then, he effortlessly swept one arm underneathe her legs and righted her slender body.

"Why are you here?"

"So I can't have fun?" he retorted, dusting himself off of the snow that had gotten on him when he broke her fall. "Actually, if I recall, I already have the final exam written up. You're the one who still have to write it."

She glared at him for the reminder. Yep, it was this man's fault that she was not home with her family yet! She looked at him. Though, any sane girl, or even guy, couldn't stay mad at the epitome of masculine virility before her.

"I guess you're entitled to some fun," she grumbled grudgingly.

He shot her one of his rare grins and took her gloved hand in his own. Then, he pushed off gracefully with one foot while the other glided seamlessly across the ice.

"Slow down!" she screamed in alarm. Rin swore that her body was meant to go across the ice that quickly without falling! Besides, other people were in front—

To her surprise, he laughed. It was a sight. The snow floating down from the sky danced around him as if in celestial wonder. The lights from the holiday shops lining the ice rink glinted off his silver hair. His laughter was rich and intoxicatingly alluring. He looked like some sort of winter spirit relishing its own realm, bathed in glowing moonlight.

She didn't know how long she stared at him for, but it was long enough for him to notice.

"See something you like?" he teased, doing a turn to skate backwards facing her.

"N…No!" she retorted, if only to save her own pride, "Just wondering how you're so cheeky today!"

Silver eyebrow arched in that snobby yet perfected way.

Rin knew she said something she probably shouldn't have.

He tighted his grip on her hand. She gulped. He started spinning. On one leg. Very quickly. Rin say people and building blur into one amalgated mass of colors. She shrieked like a banshee.

"It was fun."

"No it wasn't!"

"Was too."

"No! No! N---mmph!"

"How's the caramel popcorn?"

"Good—wait! You are not getting off that easily!"

Rin glared at the man. She placed her hands, gloved in fluffy pinkness, on her hips and scowled at him.

"She would've looked very cute like that on another day, in another situation," he admired silently. Though, he knew, more from his own gut than her scowl that he had overdone it.

"Rin," he began, "I didn't think you would be that scared."

"Oh?" she sniffed, "what gave you that brilliant idea? The fact that I don't know how to skate?"

His metallic eyes widened in that barely perceptible way.

"I…I'm sorry."

She stared at him. He was a genius who couldn't figure out how terrified she had just been. He didn't take her thoughts into consideration when he spun around like a top on the ice. But it had been so exhilarating. She was terrified, but his grip was reassuring, his spins were stable, and she trusted him to keep her safe.

She raised her head to look at him only to gasp in alarm.

Sesshoumaru was the proudest person she knew. The fact that he had outright apologized was occasion enough for her to rethink his wrongs. But now…he looked…tortured.

His pupils were dilated into fathomless dark pools, the majestic gold irises dimming into the background. The regal poised set of his shoulders were now slumped forward. The already pale skin was turning rapidly white. And was that a tremor she saw at the tips of his tapered fingers?

"Sesshoumaru?" She leaned toward him in concern. What was he so horrified of? She was never in any grave danger…

"Rin. I'm sorry!" His voice came out in a coarse whisper. It was laced with desperation, horror, and self-loathing.

"I didn't want you to know what being in danger feels like."

She reached up to gently stroke the silken crown of his head.

"I've only wanted you to be safe and happy."

She shushed him by pressing her index finger to his trembling lips.

"I know," she murmured, a slow, comforting smile forming on her lips. It grew gradually to a smirk as realization dawned on her.

"Boys will be boys, huh?" she chuckled under her breath.

He looked downright confused.

"Never mind."

"Are you implying that I'm a…boy?" His luscious lips curled in distaste at the last word, despite his depressed mood.

She smirked at him in smug satisfaction, her almond eyes twinkling in relief to see that he was getting his usual arrogance back and in amusement at his surprising, or not so surprising, ignorance of the common phrase.

"As unthoughtful as my actions were tonight," he leaned in closer to her, "I guarantee you that I am a grown man."

She look at him thoughtfully, for once too busy in thought to flush her characteristic crimson and shout at the man. He was indeed a grown man. His figure held a statuesque majesty, his eyes bore a wisdom that only experience could bestow, and his palms, though elegant, sported calluses that bespoke strength and independence. And then, she realized that she wasn't forgiving his boyish antics of overdoing a jest. She was accepting them—because she knew they were marks of his humanity to prove that he wasn't some Michelangelo statue come to life. Because she knew he would never think of purposely putting her in danger. Because, somehow, he seemed to know that she would love being spun and twirled around in the air like a dainty fairy despite her protests and initial fear.

"I know," she replied simply.

He looked taken aback by her admission.

"In fact, I trust you enough to protect me that I'd even let you pick me up from the ground I seem so fond of."

He looked relieved. Thankful, the incarnation of sexiness itself easily scooped her up and carried her bridal style, doing turns once in a while as he walked, a gentle smile threatening to reveal itself on his marble visage whenever he ventured to gaze at the warm bundle in his arms.

Said bundle laughed in exhilaration whenever he turned, occasionally giggling in delight when he threw her up in the air only to catch her once again. That is, until she noticed that they were now leaving the rink area, headed due north. Outside the festive casual atmosphere of the rink, Rin was acutely aware of the envious and bewildered glances their way.

"Put me down!" she whispered urgently.

He held her closer to his sculpted torso.

She glance around again. Yep, there they were, in the middle of 5th Avenue, among a crowd of wealthy, prim boutique shoppers decked in the custom Manhattan black. The women were staring at her in a mix of jealousy—probably the influence of that fine male specimen whose chest was getting well-acquainted with her own—and appalled horror that a young lady would profane such an upper-class area with such improper familiarity.

"Sessh! People are starting!"

He paused mid-step. He stared down at her in surprise and…joy? Happiness?

"What did you call me?"

Rin couldn't quite catch that last emotion in his golden orbs but she knew she'd be calling forfeit in whatever strange game they were playing if she voiced the name that slid out of her mouth so easily again. Instead, she shrugged, her eyes wide and innocent.

He would have believed her act too, if she weren't blushing redder than Rudolph's nose.

"You should call me that more often!" He declared, allowing her the dignity of not glancing at her when he said it.

Rin couldn't stop the giddy tugging at the ends of her mouth. Instead, she just allowed herself to fall into his embrace more, smiling into his warm clothing as the steady and reassuring sounds of his heartbeat lulled her to a dreamland.

* * *

"Wake up, Rin."

Whichever voice that was calling to her was very enticing. She willed her eyelids to flutter open. A cool breeze blew across her face. Then, the ground under her moved. In moved in an uneven clip-clop.

Now wide awake, Rin realized that there was a canvas over her head and in front of her…two large round muscles moved in turn, with a handsome tail swishing once in a while…was clearly the hind end of a horse!

"I'm on a carriage?" she asked no one in particular.

"Yes."

Rin jumped. That reply had come from dangerously close by.

"Look behind you."

She turned, only to bump her own delicate nose against a refined, masculine one—if you could even describe noses as such. Yep, she was seated on the lap of the most alluring man in the world! On a horse-drawn carriage! A horse-drawn carriage steadily traveling through a forest of lighted trees heavy with snow.

"Eeek!" she tried to jump off his lap. She would have succeeded had the horse not coincidentally turned.

He tugged her right back onto his inviting lap. She sighed. Had she really wanted to actually leave that firm seat of manly quadriceps?

"Stay still. The carriage is in motion," he teased, gesturing to the safety sign on the carriage.

Rin just glared, at him or the sign, she couldn't say.

"I'm surprised you fell asleep," he started, as the carriage took yet another turn to reveal an avenue of festive trees and one of the several ponds of Central Park, now frozen over with ice and surrounded by piles of snow.

"I felt comfy and secure," she defended herself righteously. Then she remembered exactly where it was that she felt 'comfy' and 'secure' in.

"I mean—I'm tired, alright?!"

At his lack of response, she added, "It's all you're stupid exam's fault! As much as you might like to belief otherwise, there's only so much of actin filaments and cell motility that I can cram in."

"Want a demo?" His voice was silky, smooth, deep and dark.

She shuddered at the feel of the vibrations those words caused in his chest. Being pressed to closely to him, she could feel them against her back.

"What?" Then, she understood. "Sessh—Professor!" She stammered out their official relationship, trying to use it to cam her treacherously flip-flopping stomach.

"But alas," he went on, "university rules—no relationships without students until they pass your class." He looked at her slim form tucked against his own larger one. She was adorable. "So, work hard alright? You don't want to wait a whole other semester do you?"

She spluttered in indignation.

Then, a thought materialized in her head.

"But, that's a set of rules so often broken," she murmured slyly, her small hand apparently guilelessly stroking her hair, that happened to be matted to the refined material covering his pectorals. Her cheeks were bright red and burning hot. She was thankful for the dark, or else she would never have had the guts to pull this off. Not that she had been fantasizing about this or anything like it, of course.

The worldly incubus underneath her paused in mid-chuckle.

"It's not that I want another letter grade of anything Professor," she went on, feeling her courage rise at his lack of resistance. She couldn't believe she was really doing this!

"You see, I have a wager for you."

"Oh?" he managed to regain his voice. It seemed that his little minx had a very…distracting…pair of hands. Though, he did like the sound of this.

"If I snog you senseless right now, will you sing Jingle Bells for the rest of the ride?"

He choked.

"Young lady, you aren't capable of snogging me senseless--"

She eagerly pressed her hot mouth against his, raising her hips to straddle him, throwing all worries to the wind. His lips were firm, yet yielding, burning, yet cool from the wind.

She almost gasped when she felt a wet tongue lick at her lower lip. But, realizing what he wanted, she bit down playfully at the intrusive muscle while pushing her hamstrings so that her center teased his groin and her breasts brushed against his already sensitized chest.

He groaned in restraint, unwittingly opening his mouth. Not waiting for another chance, she darted her tongue, slightly cool from the chill outside, into the molten inferno of his mouth. She moaned at the abrupt change in temperature. Her body slumped at the pleasurable sensation, only to stiffen at the clothed hardness awaiting her womanhood as it sank down to his groin.

Her moment of pleasure and womanly pride had cost her the duel. Desperately, her tongue danced around the crevices of his mouth, trying to find a weakness, a home. His own larger one tried to capture it, to wreathe with it. That was when she felt a sharp pressure impaling into her explorer in that foreign orifice. It was followed by the brief tang of copper.

She gasped abruptly in pain and, surprisingly, heady and almost instinctual desire. However, whatever strange thing it was that she experienced was soon forgotten when she felt a definite slap to her rounded derriere.

She yelped, unwilling to believe that her womanhood had actually gotten wetter and hotter at the impact.

"What a naughty girl you are," his voice was low and sensuous.

She glared at him for the interruption, impatience rising as he used his arms to lift her up and away from him, not unlike how one would lift a kitty in the air.

She desperately tried to salvage her pride, and come up with an explanation for her actions. She liked him, adored him, was besotted with him, but she could see in his eyes a question. THE question. It was as if he was waiting, yearning for a positive answer. She gulped, knowing that she wasn't ready yet. She fished for an excuse to not answer.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing, you know. I'm only doing this because you're all along on the 23rd of December trying to get into the festive mood—just doing you a favor."

"I hope you only learned that technique of yours while thinking of me," he whispered softly, settling her once again into his lap, though careful to place her far away from his groin area.

She gazed at him in wonder. He knew. He knew that she wasn't ready. She could feel tears building up in her eyes. He was waiting for her. She looked again into his golden depths. He would wait for her. She wanted to burst out in tears, hug him close until the feel of him was permanently imprinted into her, and ask the heavens above what she had done to deserve him—in what order, she didn't know.

He placed his lips gently on one of her cheeks. Then the other. Then her forehead. Followed by her eyes, licking the salty tears away as if they were ambrosia.

Far into the night, a trail of horse hooves and carriage wheels marked a snowy road. The tune of Jingle Bells echoed awkwardly in a soprano and baritone duet filled with Christmas cheer.

* * *

So...How was it?


	5. New Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or anything you might recognize in this story.

To readers: I apologize for the very long, multi-year delay in getting this out. Truly not a good reason for it in sight. But I can say that I feel that chapter 4 was too rushed and their relationship developing too fast for my tastes and I just didn't know how to continue it. The story's tone has changed a bit in this last chapter but I hope you'll find it enjoyable.

This is the last installment of Reaction Mechanism. Thank you for reading!

* * *

Reaction Mechanism Ch 5

A tinkling sound came from the other side of the room, rousing the dark haired girl from her slumber. Rin's eyes fluttered open and she groaned, rubbing the sand from her eyes. Blearily, she groped for her alarm clock. It was 11am. She sighed, rolling onto her back and wrapping her blankets tighter around her body. Her phone made the same tinkling noise again. With a displeased grunt, she pushed the blankets off herself and swung her lean legs out of bed. Half stomping towards her desk, she swiped her finger over the innocent phone to turn off the reminder. She had planned to go shopping with some friends but backed out last night when she realized it was going to snow. Problem was, she forgot to turn off the damned phone's reminder.

The dainty young woman turned her head towards her beckoning bed, but shook her head and forced herself towards the bathroom. Winter break had just finished four days ago and she was back to Eastern Standard Time, so she may as well try to get used to it. She made a disgruntled sound as she mechanically moved her toothbrush – break had been way too short and now she was back to the grindstone known as medical school and once again 2600 something miles from home.

It was well past noon by the time Rin had polished off her oatmeal and got dressed to go out for a walk. She happily breathed in the crisp cold air of the snow covered outdoors and allowed her eyes to dance over the whitened rooftops and driveways. She loved walking in fresh snow – something about it was very refreshing. Something in the back of her mind niggled at her to go back in the house, grab her dissection atlas, and head to anatomy lab to review the brain her group had been working on the day before yesterday but she resolutely stomped the idea down. New Year's resolution be damned! She wasn't going to spoil a perfectly good day by getting herself drenched in the smell of formaldehyde.

Instead, the now 23 year old young woman leisurely strolled through her new neighborhood – well, new as of one and half years ago. Not many people were out, probably because of the snow, but here and there she could see little children rolling snowballs that were only slightly smaller than themselves and couples sitting nearby watching over their kids. Rin blew a stubborn strand of hair away from her face, which was already reddening from the chill. Her warm brown eyes were downcast. This sort of tranquility was seldom seen in the bustling Morningside Heights neighborhood where she lived during undergrad.

Fleetingly, the image of a painfully handsome man with striking silver hair swam past her. She felt a twinge in her chest. She wondered, certainly not for the first time, how Sesshou- no, how Professor Tsukiaoi was doing. Yes, Professor. She firmly thought to herself. They weren't on a first name basis. Not anymore. Not after what she had done. But she still thought of him as Sesshoumaru – and she thought of him frequently. The number and quality of his research publications had not diminished in the slightest since she left his laboratory – if anything, they had increased. Career wise, the man had just been awarded his second Lasker Award and she wondered if he was aiming to kick someone off the 10 youngest Nobel Laureates roster. She was more worried about how he was faring on the inside.

She chuckled to herself while shaking her head. Of course he'd be fine. She sometimes thought too highly of herself and of her position in the man's heart. After all, he didn't really care for her. He cared for some other Japanese woman who also happened to be named Rin – who miraculously bore a stunning resemblance to her. No, that wasn't right either. More accurately, it was her who was a dead ringer for the Rin that Sesshoumaru loved.

She had always been suspicious of how much Sesshoumaru knew about her. The spring semester of her senior year had kicked off with a flurry of fancy dinners, Broadway shows, operas at the Met, and random walks in Riverside Park on the arm of her gold-eyed ex-professor turned boyfriend. Hardly a day went by without the two of them going on some sort of date or just talking to each other about the miniscule happenings of that day. Which was surprising, since she never pegged Sesshoumaru for the talkative or caring type. Rin had spent the good part of the semester simply glowing while her lips were quirked in a perpetual smile and her heart would go into worrisome fibrillations when she was in Sesshoumaru's warm, safe, and strong presence. At first she was pleasantly surprised each time he would bring her a favorite food during exam cram sessions or guess what she was thinking about. She thought of it as destiny.

Then the questions started. Her roommates, in not so brusque words, asked why he had chosen her out of the multitudes of beautiful and successful women he could have had. At first she brushed it off in her naivety. She had, of course, heard in length about relationships, but it was her first time dating someone and the reality that the rose-tinted glasses were just that – glasses, not truth – didn't sink in. Then she looked around. Why had he chosen her? She was a young, hopeful undergrad without a career or anything to offer him other than her feelings – and even in that department, it seemed that he outranked her. And while she was sure there were gold diggers out there among the throngs of women out to get him, she was equally sure there were those who valued his intellect, his thoughts, his personality, and… well… him.

She had struggled with herself. She was being silly. After all, love didn't need a reason. Did it? She felt as if she were Bluebeard's bride – tempted to see that forbidden room. Funnily enough, Sesshoumaru did have a forbidden room in his overpriced penthouse overlooking Central Park. It was the room opposite Sesshoumaru's bedroom, and when asked what it was for, the man had so skillfully changed the subject that she didn't realize he had until after she got back to her dorm. For any normal circumstance, she would have understood that the man needed his private space. But for Sesshoumaru, who left his home office open for her to freely thief and sell off his research projects and steal his credit cards and cash – not that she ever did—it was surprising. So one night after they'd had a sumptuous dinner, made, surprisingly, by the man himself, she finally couldn't fight off the self-questioning and low confidence that had been building up and opened Pandora's Box.

Inside were lifetimes of paintings, pictures and memoralia. A charming young woman in a traditional Japanese uchikake sat beside a man, who was undoubtedly Sesshoumaru – dressed in the formal dark haori and hakama. The same woman laughing while Sesshoumaru rested his head in her lap. Another wedding picture – this time in western style in what was no doubt a grand Italian cathedral. The two lovers – the married couple – in a gondola in midday. The images went on and on. Some painted by a masterful hand reminiscent of some Da Vinci, others in an impressionist style impressively similar to a nameless Monet. Still more taken by what seemed to be an old black and white box camera. But in each, the handsome man she'd come to love was unquestionably happy and in love. And the woman looked as if she were Rin's twin. Though, Rin could not fathom herself with that look of pure bliss, mutual understanding, and love on her own face.

She still remembered the feeling of sharp pain tugging at her heart, as if threatening to pull it out of her chest. Her throat felt as if it would close off and she would suffocate to death. She vaguely heard the silver-haired man's beautiful voice call out after her in alarm and distress. She might have even felt his warm strong arms clasping her small frame within them before she slapped and punch anywhere she could with her hands still covered in tears and – she thought rather mutinously – snot. At least she ruined a good jacket.

Rin brushed some unbidden tears from her cheeks, now ruddy from the chilly air. She missed him. She had chosen a medical school he hadn't written her a recommendation for. It wasn't the best one she'd been admitted to, but at least here nobody knew she was connected to him. But she thought of him – and often. Maybe if she had given him time to explain… She cut off that thought. Explain what? That she was a worthwhile substitute? But from time to time, like now, Rin felt an inexplicable urge to just be by his side even if he took her to be someone she wasn't.

More tears. She raised her hand to angrily swipe them away. Before her slender hands, already cold from the wet tears and winter chill could reach her face, she felt a comforting warm finger catch her tears as if they were pearls to be treasured.

She gasped and looked up, though she really didn't need to, because she already knew what she would see. Or rather, who she would see.

But like good food, a favorite location, fun activity, or any other unforgettably beloved entity, memories did not do reality justice. Her memory could not fully capture the silky sheen of his silver crown, the golden specks in his amber eyes, the lushness of his lips, or the warmth of his solid, toned body against her own as they hugged.

It took a long time for her to realize what was happening – like placing a man who had gone without water in a desert for several days in front of a stream – she starved for this presence too much to notice the lion on the other side of the stream. But when she came to her senses, she still held still and lived in the moment.

"I found you," her gold-eyed man whispered.

His voice tugged at her heartstrings. But she pushed against his firm chest.

He tightened his embrace, "Please," he murmured.

"I'm not who you take me to be," Rin choked on her words, afraid he would let go now that they were voiced.

He did loosen his grip, but just enough to look her straight in the eyes.

"I was wrong," he enunciated steadily, though his hands were shaking, "you are you."

"Then why are you here?"

He looked puzzled and surprised. Then, a forlorn look dawned on his immaculate features.

"Rin – I…I never…"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Never took me for her?"

His shoulders slumped. "I did," before Rin could stop him, he continued quickly, "but I never wanted you to become her."

Rin didn't know what to say. Through the last three years, she'd fantasized about him chasing after her – then promptly scolded herself for it. In her fantasies she enacted plots in which he would swear his undying love for her – not that other woman, or say that it was all in the past. She never thought he would find her and admit that he did substitute Rin for the other Rin.

"Can we start over?"

Rin wrinkled her brow – she couldn't quite process what he meant.

"I am just a widower who met you," he started, she unconsciously leaned her head towards his chest, listening to the soothing rumbling reverberations of his chest as he spoke, "and neither of us know anything of the other," he was murmuring now and she closed her eyes to live the story he was telling, "you are a completely new person to me – someone unlike my late wife –someone who bears a resemblance but is undoubtedly her own person."

He stopped, unsure of her silence.

She could hear his heart beat accelerating and his palms cooling where he was holding her. She realized with a disbelieving gasp that he was nervous and literally in cold sweat.

She remained silent, carefully thinking over her words, "Not completely unlike."

He stilled, and she swore that his heart skipped a beat. "I know it's hard to believe that I wouldn't superimpose you—"

She pressed a finger to his soft lips. "I'd like to think that I can love you just as much as she did," she whispered, "and that you'll learn to love me just as much as you did her."

She could feel his lips turn up into a smile. She wrapped her smaller arms around his large frame.

They stood there together, in each other's embrace. Until her newly acquainted stranger broke the silence.

"Hello there, my name is Sesshoumaru. Can I get your number?"

* * *

Comments are welcome.

I will now be focusing on trying to get For the Ice King in Full Blossom done - but with my track record, we'll see how that goes. Fingers crossed.


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